“This is the last city council meeting for right now but not in the foreseeable future because we are going to have Ben come back as we finalize the budget,” Olson said. “That’s the plan, but we have an award for Ben tonight. He is a good man and has served this city with all his heart. Just as we saw tonight with the boring part of his job which is herding the budget together, it is an incredible amount of work he’s done to keep us solvent and in a position to meet the coming year. Ben, we are going to miss you, and I thank you for the service you have given.”

“What an honor it’s been,” Reeves said, choking back tears. “I thought a lot about what’d I’d say about the last 12 and a half years. So much has been accomplished and hasn’t been by one person. It’s been done by a team. There are so many things to be proud of, like the people I’ve worked with and worked for. I’d like to think that the city is better off, not because there are more parks or amenities but because it’s a better community.”

In other business, council members approved recommendations from the newly appointed city manager, Norm Beagley, to enter a contract with J-U-B Engineers to update the Santaquin Sanitary Sewer master plan.

According to state law, the master plan is required to be updated every five years.

“This is probably the most technical mater plan we have to update, and J-U-B is qualified and knows our system,” Beagley said. “J-U-B has provided their professional assistance to Santaquin City for our sewer infrastructure plans and updates for more than 15 years. J-U-B has significant established knowledge of the workings of our sewer system. Therefore, they are well-suited to start immediately with this update to our sewer master plan.”

J-U-B’s proposal included a comprehensive review and evaluation of the city’s collection system network, processes and treatment, winter storage and all associated work that is needed for appropriate planning for the city’s current sanitary sewer needs and to accommodate future growth within the city, according to Beagley.

The cost for the updated master plan was estimated at approximately $124,000. Beagley said the city’s sewer impact fees will cover the costs.

“Impact fees are used for future growth,” he said. “In other words, if we didn’t add one more home, we wouldn’t need to update our sewer system. It would be fine with perpetuity for finishing us out, but the fact that we have growth coming and we have more land available to be built on, we are allowed through the state to charge impact fees. Essentially impact fees ensure current residents don’t pay for future growth. Future growth pays for future growth.”

Council members also approved an ordinance clarifying the powers and duties of the Santaquin chief of fire and EMS position.

“What was discovered as the old manual was being read through is the clarification of these things weren’t accurate,” Olson said.

The ordinance listed 14 detailed passages of updated duties and powers for the chief. Some examples of listed powers were the ability to enforce the fire code, appoint and remove officers, and rights to enter a premises.